City acts to save money

Commissioners to buy two firetrucks

Posted: Wednesday, August 03, 2005

JOE CHAPMANjoe.chapman@amarillo.comAmarillo Globe-News

The Amarillo City Commission on Tuesday approved refinancing revenue bonds to save the city about $65,500 annually and approved purchase of two new firetrucks made by the same manufacturer as another truck under investigation.

The city is refinancing a series of water and sewer revenue bonds, issued in 1999, under a lower interest rate. Through 2019, total savings will be $917,000 - $769,000 in today's dollars, said Dean Frigo, finance director.

"We've been monitoring this one for a while because it was one of the better ones out there," he said.

Commissioner Jim Simms said the refinancing was a good opportunity for the city and is a routine cost-savings maneuver to take.

"Especially among organizations this size that are paying bonds out," he said. "It's like refinancing your house."

In other business, the commission approved purchase of two American LaFrance pumper trucks for a total of $536,000. The firetrucks will replace two older ones that will be moved into reserve use.

City Manager Alan Taylor said he didn't have any concerns about the trucks being made by American LaFrance - the manufacturer of the firetruck being investigated for its role in the April 25 death of firefighter Christopher Brian Hunton.

Hunton was fatally injured when he fell from a passenger door while the truck was rounding a turn. On-scene police investigators noted the door seemed to function problematically - observations that seemed to fit the truck's reputation for popping the door open as it flexed going through turns.

Forensic investigation into the accident is still pending but is irrelevant to the purchase of the two new pumper trucks, Taylor said, because the investigated firetruck is a ladder truck.

"It's not the same truck. These are commercial truck chassis, four-door crew cabs we've had in service a number of years and never had any problems," Taylor said.

"These two trucks are already built and in existence and are located in Houston," he said. "They were built as demo chassis."

Because the trucks are already built, the city will get them in 75 days instead of the usual 18 to 24 months. They'll come with low mileage and at a good cost, Taylor said.